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(ModeL) P. E. SHI'RK. THILL COUPLING. No. 247,699. Patented Sept, 27,1881.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

PETER E. SHIBK, OF SPRING GROVE, ASSIGNOR, BY DIRECT AND MESNE ASSIGNMENTS, TO WILLIAM H. LAWSON, OF HONEY BROOK, PA.

THILL-COUPLING.

' SPECIFICATION forming at of Letters were No. 247,699, dated Se tember 27, 1881.

Application filed February 7, 1881.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, PETER E. SHIRK, of

Spring Grove, in the county of Lancaster and State of Pennsylvania, have invented certain Improvements in Thill-Couplings, of which the following is a specification.

The object of this invention is to produce a coupling which shall permit the ready attachment and detachment of the thills, which shall be noiseless in action, and which shall be cheap and simple in construction; and to this end it consists in a construction and combination of the various parts hereinafter described, embracing, primarily, the combination ofa divided head, a rubber cushion therein, and an eccentrio or cam lever for fastening the head together.

Referring to the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 represents a vertical central section through my device, with the parts in an operative position. Fig. 2 is a section of the same, showing the head opened and the end of the thill detached therefrom Fig. 3, a vertical cross-section upon the line a; a: of Fig. 1.

Referring to the drawings, A B represent the head or body of the coupling. The main portion A is constructed in one piece with a clip, a, to embrace the axle, as usual, and with two parallel forwardly-projectingjaws, b. The clip a is made, as usual, with two downwardly-extending threaded shanks, c and d, to receive a bottom plate, e, and the two fastening-nutsf, by means of which the clip is drawn against and held firmly upon the axle.

As shown in Figs. 1 and 2, the stem at is elongated and extended downward to receive and hold the lower portion, B, of the body, which is perforated to fit over the same. The lower end of the stem at is provided with a camlever, O, forked to embrace the stem, and pivoted thereto, as shown at f The forward end of this lever is provided with an eye or loop to receive a safety-strap, which may be used to connect it with the thills, in order to prevent the escape of the latter in the event of a breakage of the parts.

The lever U is constructed in such manner that when its forward end is turned upward to a normal position (represented in Fig. 1) the eccentric end of the lever holds the two parts (Model.)

A B of the head firmly and rigidly together, the eccentric end of the lever locki n g past the center in such manner that it has no tendency to unlock when the head is subjected tostrain. When the end of the lever is turned downward it permits the lower section of the head to fall away from the upper portion, A, in order to permit the introduction or removal of the thillllOD.

As shown in Figs. 2 and 3, the inner faces" of the arms b are cutaway on the under side in such manner as to form two hook-shaped recesses, h, to receive the journals or trunnions 1 formed on the sides of the thill-iron I). The thill-iron D is introduced and removed through the end of the head, between the'two arms, and is applied from the under side, as indicated by the arrow in Fig. 2.

The lower section, B, is made of such form as to fit snugly within the recess portion of the upper section and closely embraces the under side of the trunnions of arm D, as represented in Figs. 1 and 2.

E represents a rubber or equivalent elastic cushion located in the head behind the thilliron, and retained in place by projections or shoulders in the head, as shown in Fig. 1. The construction of the parts is such that the necessary compression of the rubber to secure a close action of the parts is secured by the action of the lever 0, thus avoiding the use of special tools or devices commonly employed to press rubber.

It will be noted that. the lower section, B, of the body abuts against and serves to lock the two nuts by which the clip is held, thus efiectually preventing their loss from vibration 0 other causes.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim is- 1. The combination of the shouldered body A, provided with the depending neck d, the bottom plate, B, mounted on and around the neck, and the eccentric lever G, pivoted to the neck below the plate, as described and shown. 5

2. The combination of the stationary body A, provided with the shoulders to receive the thill-iron, and the depending neck, the thilliron, the rubber block, the bottom plate, B, and the eccentric lever pivoted to the neck below mo the plate and arranged to look past the center, I plate, and nuts, and section B, serving the two- IO as described and shown. fold purpose of securing the thill-iron and of 3. In combination with the head-section A, locking the nuts in place, substantially as recessed on the inner and under side, as shown shown.

at h, the lower section, B, fitting Within the un- PETER E. SHIRK. der side of the head and iuclosed thereby, as WVitnesses: 7 described and. shown. GE F. GRAHAM,

4. In combination with the head-section A, WM. H. LAWSON.

having the clip to embrace the axle, the base- 1 

